Health Navigator - August 2024

Position Status

Open

Site

Pittsburgh

NHC Position Type

Patient Navigator

Position Summary

The NHC/AmeriCorps member will function as a key part of the multi-disciplinary primary care team, providing health navigation services to patients seen in the health center or engaged in the community. In this regard, the member will connect patients with services essential to their success, filling in the gaps between other team members and supportive services- to ensure seamless continuity of care. The NHC/AmeriCorps member will also develop other patient support programs, including chronic disease self-management education, nutrition education, smoking cessation, and homeless outreach that are not currently occurring. Which support programs the member develops will be up to their interests and the needs of our patient population. Any clinical support needed to supplement these support programs will be provided by the onsite Registered Nurse.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Major Duties & Responsibilities

  • Providing education on how to complete paperwork.
  • Providing brief health education to patients.
  • Assisting in care coordination and resource referrals.
  • Conducting outreach to patients via phone/letters.
  • Linking patients to care by scheduling appointments.

Other Responsibilities

  • Quality Improvement Project: Member will develop quality improvement project based on their interests and needs/issues faced by Pittsburgh Mercy Family Health Center patients.
  • Health Education Program - Member will create self-management education pamphlets. These will be used to educate patients with chronic health conditions in self-management techniques. Member will provide Tobacco Cessation education to patients and linking them to higher levels of support as needed. Member will provide overdose prevention education for patients who have identified substance abuse conditions or are at risk for development. Member will provide linkage to higher levels of support as needed.
  • Health Awareness Campaign - Member will coordinate annual health fair that takes place every spring. In conjunction with other AmeriCorps members at other local sites and Pittsburgh Mercy departments, the health fair will provide health-screening and testing as well as other health education to our patients.
  • Addressing Structural Oppression - Member will develop and present presentations about discrimination and racial bias within healthcare. These presentations will be given at monthly staff meetings and periodically at weekly team lead, medical assistant, front desk or provider meetings. Member will develop and administer surveys to identify social determinant of health that may be impacting a patient's ability to access care.

Characteristics of an Ideal Candidate

Familiar with health equity-related issues. Team-oriented. Organized. Comfortable speaking with others, individually or in groups. Compassionate.

Knowledge Required for the Position

  • Knowledge of AmeriCorps/Health Corps member requirements.
  • Skill with Microsoft Office or other software for a variety of data processing operations involving a range of problem solving, record keeping, correspondence, and service tracking options.

Supervision

Member uses initiative in carrying out recurring assignments, following set procedures independently.

Review

The member independently plans and carries out the projects and selects the approaches and methods to be used in solving problems, Completed projects are reviewed very generally to determine that objectives have been met and are in compliance with policies and regulations.

Guidelines

Guidelines are generally applicable, but the member independently makes adaptations in dealing with problems and unusual situations

Complexity

The facts or conditions of the service position are clear cut, predictable, and apply directly to the assignment.

Language Proficiency Requirements

Is proficiency in a language other than English required? No

Criminal History Check Requirements Beyond NHC Standard Checks

In addition to NHC Standard Checks, all NHC Pittsburgh members are required to complete and pass criminal history checks for Great Lakes Behavioral Research Institute/Diversified Care Management (DCM). Great Lakes/DCM is a third party vendor contracted with the Allegheny County Health Department (operating site for NHC Pittsburgh) to distribute NHC Pittsburgh member stipends. NHC Pittsburgh members are onboarded to Great Lakes/DCM system only when the checks have been completed and the member has passed those checks.  Along with these checks, some Host Sites require their NHC Pittsburgh Members to be Vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The checks that all NHC Pittsburgh members would be required to complete and pass for Great Lakes/DCM are the following: 1) Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance), 2) National Sex Offender Registry Clearance,  3) Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance, and 4) Act 73 (FBI Criminal History Clearance - ONLY completed via Identogo PA).

NHC members do not have to pay for the completion of these checks. Great Lakes/DCM will distribute payment codes for the Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance) and Act 73 (FBI Criminal History Clearance which is conducted through Identogo PA ( PA FBI fingerprinting agency). The National Sex Offender Registry Clearance and Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance) will be completed by Great Lakes/DCM upon receiving requested information that members will be asked to submit.  

Requires Personal Vehicle

No